Captive Cetaceans are tragically sad compared to their free ranging families in the ocean. Throughout this blog I have tried to provide links to information stated enabling you to check things out and make your own minds up. Research really is the key, don't be told what to think and say, check it out for yourself.

Saturday, 22 February 2014

Southern Resident Killer Whales

SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALES

Southern Resident Killer Whales are the most studied, to help you identify them should you care to go on a fabulous whale watching tour, here they are.

The majority of photographs have been taken on these fabulous tours with the write ups being from Orca Spirit. I cannot take credit for the photographs, I put this together to show you what fabulous things you can see whilst out on a whale watching tour. You will never see long straight fins or orca communicating to each other and behaving like this in their family bonded groups, in and tank in the world.

As of September 2013, the SRKW
population totaled 81 individuals ( J Pod = 26, K Pod = 19, L Pod = 36).
The size of all three Southern Resident pods was reduced in number from
1965-75 as a result of whale captures for marine park exhibition. At
least 13 whales were killed during these captures, while 45 whales were
delivered to marine parks around the world. Today, only Lolita (Tokitae)
remains alive in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium. Annual SRKW
population updates occur on July 1 and December 31 each year.

The Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW), or Orcas, are actually a large extended family, or clan, comprised of three pods: J, K, and L pods.

Within each pod, families form into sub-pods
centered around older females, usually grandmothers or
great-grandmothers. Both male and female offspring remain in close
association with their mothers for life.​​​Each Southern Resident pod uses a characteristic
dialect of calls (sounds) to communicate. Certain calls are common
between all three pods. The calls used by the Southern Resident
community are unlike the calls used by any other community of killer
whales. These calls can travel 10 miles or more under water.

The Southern Resident Killer Whales are frequently
seen, from spring through fall, in the protected inshore waters of the
Salish Sea. The Salish Sea includes the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Strait
of Georgia, and Puget Sound, and all their connecting channels and
adjoining waters, and the waters around and between the San Juan Islands
in Washington State and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia.

L pod members - Lolita's family

L22- SPIRIT

L-22 Spirit (Female) Born 1971: Spirit is a female
whale surrounded by male companions. She is most often seen close to her
two sons, Skana (L-79) and Solstice (L89). Spirit also has a brother,
Onyx (L-87) who spends most of his time socializing with J-pod whales.
Spirit is not likely to have any more offspring, as she has reached the
age of menopause for orca, which occurs after a female turns 40. Spirit
has a tiny nick out of the back edge of her dorsal fin.

L25 - MOTHER OF LOLITA - OCEAN SUN

L-25 Ocean Sun (Female) Born 1928: Ocean Sun is the
oldest member of L-pod and the second oldest member of the Southern
Resident community. Ocean Sun is a matriarch leader in L-pod. She used
to share this title with her good friend Alexis (L-12), until
Alexis passed away over the winter of 2011-2012. She has no immediate
family living in L-pod as one of her daughters and two grandchildren all
passed away in the 1980s. She is the mother of Lolita, the only
surviving member of the Southern Resident Community in captivity. There
are many efforts to return Lolita to her mother and the rest of her
family after 42 years of confinement in the Florida Seaquarium. She can
be found spending time with Mega (L-41), Matia (L-77) and Calypso
(L-94), all grandchildren of Alexis (L-12). Ocean Sun has a very
large and dark opening in her saddlepatch.

L41 - MEGA

L-41 Mega (Male) Born 1977: Mega is one of the most
iconic whales in the Southern Resident population. He also happens to be
the largest male out of the 3 pods. Mega has a very tall dorsal fin
with 2 nicks out of the back edge, one large nick in the middle, and
one closer to the bottom. Mega can be seen swimming with his sisters
Matia (L-77) and Calypso (L-94). He lost his grandmother Alexis (L-12)
during the winter season of 2011-2012. Mega and his siblings were very
close with their grandmother, often seen swimming separate from the rest
of L-pod. Ocean Sun (L-25) and Mystery (L-85) also love to be with
Mega’s family, so he has a tight-knit circle of friends and family.

L47 - MARINA

L-47 Marina (Female) Born 1974: Marina has experienced
many successes and many losses in her family. She had 2 daughters
Moonlight (L-83) and Muncher (L-91) in 1990 and 1995, respectively. She
then experienced a series of sad losses, giving birth to calves in 2000,
2002, 2005, and 2008, who all died shortly after birth. Her luck
changed in 2010 when Marina gave birth to a son named Mystic (L-115),
who is still alive and doing well. Marina became a grandmother in 2007,
with the birth of Moonlights son Midnight (L-110). She is always seen
very close to her tight-knit family.

L53 - LULU

L-53 Lulu (Female) Born 1977: Lulu is one of the few
females her age who has never been seen with a calf. She lost her mother
Canuck (L-7) in the winter of 2010. Even though she does not have any
living immediate family, she is a happy whale who loves to display above
water behaviors like breaching and tail slapping. She has grown
attached to her cousin Racer (L-72) and Racers son Fluke (L-105) since
the loss of her mother. DECEASED 2014

L54 - INO

L-54 Ino (Female) Born 1977: Ino has survived her
mother and three siblings. She is the proud mom of three offspring, her
youngest born in December of 2010. Her oldest son is Indigo (L-100) and
her second son is Coho (L-108). Her newest calf is Keta (L-117), whose
sex has yet to be determined. Ino has a soft horseshoe shape within her saddle patch.

L55 - NUGGET

L-55 Nugget (Female) Born 1977: Nugget is the proud
mother of 4 living offspring. She has daughters Kasatka (L-82) and Lapis
(L-103), a son named Takoda (L-109), and her newest little one, Jade
(L-118) was born in the spring of 2011. The sex of this young calf is
still unknown. Nugget also has 1 living sibling, Surprise! (L-86), along
with several nieces and nephews. Her sister Ophelia (L-27), passed away
during the winter of 2011-2012.

L72-RACER AND HER SON FLUKE

L-72 Racer (Female) Born 1986: Racer has a unique
saddlepatch that has a very distinct thin pencil-line running through
it, making her one of the easiest whales to identify in the entire
population. She was named after Race Rocks where she was initially
identified and photographed. Racer had her first calf in 2004, named
Fluke (L-105). She sadly lost her second calf in the summer of 2010,
which appeared to be stillborn. Racer carried her deceased calf for 2
days not ready to let go. This is not an uncommon behavior of orca to
display after the death of an offspring.

L77 MATIA

L-77 Matia (Female) Born 1987: Matia is part of the
L-12 matriline, named after her grandmother Alexis (L-12), who sadly
passed on in the winter of 2011-2012. Matia’s mother and sibling L-64
have also passed away. She spends her time with her brother Mega (L-41)
and sister Calypso (L-94). Matia became an auntie for the first time in
2009 to Calypso’s daughter Cousteau (L-113). Unfortunately Matia lost
her first calf soon after birth in February, 2010. She has a similar
open saddlepatch to her sister, with a noticeable nick out of the
trailing edge of her dorsal fin.

L79 SKANA

L-79 Skana (Male) Born 1989: Skana is another adult
male in L-pod. Skanas name comes from the language of the Haida First
Nations tribe located on the coast of Northwest British Columbia. The
Haida use the word skana for killer whale, which translates to "killer
demon" or "supernatural power". He has a younger brother named Solstice
(L-89), who he hangs out with the majority of the time. Skana can also
be seen swimming alongside his mom, Spirit (L-22).

L82-KASATKA

L-82 Kasatka (Female) Born 1990: Kasatka is part of a
large family in L-pod. Her mother is Nugget (L-55), and her siblings are
Lapis (L-103), Takoda (L-109) and L-118, who was born in the spring of
2011. Kasatkas new brother or sister will be named in the summer of
2012. Kasatka is also a mother, having her first calf in the fall of
2010, his name is Finn (L-116). It is not uncommon among orca for
mothers and daughters to both have offspring at the same time, as a
female orca can reproduce for up to 30 years.

L83 MOONLIGHT

L83 - Moonlight (Female) Born 1990: Daughter of Marina L47 and sister to Muncher L91. Moonlight had her first calf, Midnight L110 in 2007, he often spends time with his Auntie Muncher.

L84 - NYSSA

L-84 Nyssa (Male) Born 1990: Nyssa is one of the many
mature males of L-pod. He has lost his mother and his only sibling died
shortly after birth. Because Nyssa has no living immediate family, he
had taken to Tanya (L-5), who had lost both of her
offspring. Unfortunately Tanya did not return with the rest of L-pod in
the spring of 2012, therefore we know she has passed away. Orca are very
loving animals who will readily accept another whale as their own
family. Tanya and Nyssa enjoyed spending time with Ino (L-54) and her
three youngsters. Ino probably enjoys the help from Nyssa with all those
rambunctious little ones! Nyssa has a bright white saddlepatch with a
very black V running through it.

L85-MYSTERY

L-85 Mystery (Male) Born 1991: Mystery has a similar
story to pod-mate Nyssa (L-84). He has also lost his mother and has no
living immediate relatives. After Mystery’s mother died when he was only
3 years old, his aunt raised him until she passed away in 2005. Mystery
then developed a special bond with Alexis (L-12) and her grandchildren.
It is not uncommon for orca to "adopt" other members of their pod when
family members have passed away. Mystery suffered yet another loss of a
mother-like figure when Alexis died during the winter of 2011-2012.

L86 - SUPRISE

L-86 Surprise! (Female) Born 1991: Surprise! is the
daughter of Sonar (L-4), who passed away in 1996. Researchers gave her
the name Surprise! because that is exactly what she was because the last
time her mother had a calf, Nugget (L-55), was 14 years previous
to Surprise!. She lost her sister Ophelia (L-27), during the winter of
2011-2012. Surprise! had a son in 2005, named Pooka ((L-106). She then
gave birth to a daughter (L-112) in January of 2009. She was first given
the name Victoria, but was later called Sooke. Sadly, Sooke was
found washed up on a Washington Beach in February, 2012. She suffered
severe trauma to the head and chest region reportedly caused by
underwater explosives and sonar used by Naval activity in close
proximity to her and her family.

L87 - ONYX

L-87 Onyx (Male) Born 1992: Onyx has a sister Spirit (L-22) and two nephews,
Skana (L-79) and Solstice (L-89). He also has a male cousin, Mystery
(L-85). Instead of spending time with his sister and male relatives who
are all similar in age, Onyx wanted to explore a different pod. After
his mother died, he spent a couple years with K-pod. Now, for the past
few years, he has been adopted by J-pod. He can often be seen close to
Spieden (J-8), who is an old female who has never been seen with any
offspring of her own. Resident orca have never been documented leaving
their natal pod. Because Onyx lost his mother and had no deeply rooted
connection with any other family member, he may have sought a mother-
like figure from other females like Spieden. Or maybe he realized that
the best access to females is to be with them ALL year round, as he is
now a mature male and orca only breed with members of another pod.

L88-WAVEWALKER

L-88 Wavewalker (Male) Born 1993: Wavewalker is always
exciting to spot when L- pod is in the area because he will often be
accompanied by his mother Grace (L-2). Wavewalker lost his big brother
and best friend, Gaia, (L-78) over the winter months of 2011-2012. This
inseparable duo could be spotted very quickly with their distinct saddle patches and playful behavior. Wavewalker’s saddlepatch is very
different on the left side than the right side. His saddlepatch on the
left has a narrow, black boomerang shape in it, while the right side has
a large triangular shape of black nestled in the white area. Wavewalker
had a very close relationship with his brother. He continues to stay
close by his mother, Grace, but he likes to venture off when J and
K pods are near so that he can meet the ladies!

L89-SOLSTICE

L-89 Solstice (Male) Born 1993: Solstice has a little
family consisting of his mother Spirit (L-22), and his older brother
Skana (L-79). Solstice and Skana are not only brothers, but the best of
friends. They have been seen many times playing together with breaches
and tail slaps creating thundering sounds across the water. Solstice can
be distinguished from his older brother by their different dorsal fins
and saddle patches. Solstice has a shorter and wider dorsal fin than
Skana, and Solstices Saddle patch is closed while his brothers is open.

L90 BALLENA

L-90 Ballena (Female) Born 1993: Ballena is a beautiful
female whose name means whale in Spanish. She is the daughter of Baba
(L-26), and all 3 of her siblings are deceased. She helps her mother
watch over her nephew Crewser (L-92) now that his mother is gone.
Ballena was noticed lagging behind the pod and having trouble diving and
surfacing in the summer and fall of 2011. She may have a medical
condition that could be causing these behaviors. Researchers continue to
monitor her status and we hope she recovers from whatever is ailing her.

L91 MUNCHER

L-91 Muncher (Male) Born 1995: Muncher is an adolescent
female who loves to spend time with her new brother Mystic (L-115).
Munchers family has experienced many losses, with the death of 4 younger
siblings from 2000 to 2008. All of these calves died shortly after
birth. Her mother is Marina (L-47), and her sister is Moonlight (L-83).
Muncher became an auntie in 2007 when Moonlight had her son Midnight
(L-110).

L92 CREWSER

L-92 Crewser (Male) Born 1995: Crewser has recently
reached the young adult stage and will soon be part of the breeding
cohort of the population. Crewsers narrow dorsal fin has a slight curve
at the top, making him pretty easy to recognize amongst the other
whales. Crewser has a grandmother, Baba (L-26), and his auntie is
Ballena (L-90). Like most young males, Crewser likes to breach and play
with other whales.

L94 CALYPSO

L-94 Calypso (Female) Born 1995: Calypso is part of the
independent L-12 matriline. Her grandmother was Alexis (L-12), who died
during the winter months of 2011-2012. Her siblings are brother, Mega
(L-41) and sister, Matia (L-77). Ocean Sun (L-25) is a matriarch leader
along with Alexis in L-pod, who is often seen traveling with this
tight-knit family. Calypso became a mother for the first time to spunky
little Cousteau (L-113), a female calf first spotted with her mother in
October of 2009.

L95 NIGEL

L-95 Nigel (Male) Born 1996: Nigel was born a year
after pod-mate Crewser (L-92), who has become his partner in crime.
Nigel lost his mother at the age of ten, making him the responsibility
of his sister Racer (L-72). He can be seen babysitting his nephew Fluke
(L-105) from time to time. Because Nigel is a teenage male, he has
started to "sprout" a tall dorsal fin which will grow up to 6 feet
(1.8m) tall by the time he is in his early twenties.

L100 INDIGO

L-100 Indigo (Male) Born 2001: Indigo is the first
offspring of a steadily growing family. His mother is Ino (L-54) and he
has a brother named Coho (L-108) who was born in 2006. Indigos family
welcomed a new member in December of 2010 when his mom gave birth to a
healthy calf, L-117. The sex of this little whale has yet to be
discovered, and he or she will be given a name in the summer of 2012.
Indigo has a tiny nick near the top of his dorsal fin, and a very faint
swirl in his saddlepatch. DECEASED 2014

L103 LAPIS WITH MUM NUGGET

L-103 Lapis (Female) Born 2003: Lapiss name comes from
the beautiful gemstone that is a deep blue with golden flecks in it.
Lapis is a member of a large family with her mom Nugget (L-55) and her
three siblings Kasatka (L-82), Takoda (L-109), and newly born L-118, who
has not been named yet. Lapis is a happy whale who loves to play with
her siblings and her cousin Pooka (L-106).

L105 FLUKE

L-105 Fluke (Male) Born 2004: Fluke has an interesting
story as researchers were unsure of who his mother was when he was
spotted for the first time. After several observations, it was
determined that Racer (L-105) is his mom. Fluke has a light grey
saddlepatch and a faint black opening in it. Fluke likes to stay close
to his mom and play with other whales his age.

L106 POOKA

L-106 Pooka (Male) Born 2005: According to the Whale
Museums list of whales, Pooka was named after a mythical creature from
Celtic folklore who is a shape shifter who most often appears as a black
and white horse. Pooka is the son of Surprise! (L-86). His younger
sister Sooke (L-112) was found washed up on a Washington beach in
February 2012. Pooka and his mother spend most of their time with his
two aunts and cousins.

L108 COHO

L-108 Coho (Male) Born 2006: Coho is a member of a
happy little family consisting of his mom Ino (L-54), his brother Indigo
(L-100), and a new brother or sister, L-117, who was born in December
2010. Coho is always seen close to his new sibling and other family
members. He was named after the Coho salmon, a Pacific species of salmon
that resident orca eat, though it is not their favorite. Coho has a
very light grey saddlepatch compared to other whales.

L109 TAKODA

L-109 Takoda (Male) Born 2007: Like several other
whales in the Southern Resident community, Takodas name comes from a
First Nations language. Takoda in Sioux means "friend to everyone", a
suitable name for an orca since they are very friendly animals to both
each other and other species. Takoda is the son of Nugget (L-55), and he
has two sisters, Kasatka (L-82) and Lapis (L-103). At the young age of three Takoda became an uncle to Finn (L-116), who he plays with all the
time.

L110 MIDNIGHT

L-110 Midnight (Male) Born 2007: Midnight was a welcome
addition to the L-47 matriline. He is the first offspring of Moonlight
(L-83). He also spends time with his Auntie Muncher (L-91). Midnight has
a solid saddlepatch and a few long scars on the left-hand side of his
back. Like most adolescent whales, Midnight is eager to play any time of
the day.

L113 Cousteau

L-113 Cousteau (Female) Born 2009: Cousteau was named
after the famous Jacques Cousteau, marine conservationist, explorer,
inventor and photographer among many other things. Cousteau explores her
environment alongside her mother Calypso (L94), who was given the name
of Jacques Cousteaus research boat. Cousteau is a member of the L-12
matriline, being cared for my her great-grandmother Alexis (L-12), her
famous Uncle Mega (L-41), and her Auntie Matia (L-77).

L115 MYSTIC

L-115 Mystic (Male) Born 2010: Mystic is the newest
offspring of mother Marina (L-47). He has two older sisters named
Moonlight (L-83) and Muncher (L-91). Mystic is a welcome blessing to a
family who has experienced great hardship. Marina has lost the 4
previous calves before Mystic, all shortly after they were born. Mystic
has been an active and healthy whale so far under the extra watchful eye
of his mom and siblings. He also gets to play with his nephew Midnight
(L-110), who is actually 3 years older.

L116 FINN

L-116 Finn (Male) Born 2010: Finn was born into a
large, tight-knit family. Although he is the first offspring of Kasatka
(L-82), his family also includes grandmother Nugget (L-55), Auntie Lapis
(L-103) and Uncle Takoda (L-109). Finn can be seen wrestling with
pod-mates Cousteau (L-113), Mystic (L-115) and unnamed new comers L-117
and L-118.

L117 KETA

L-117 Keta (Unknown Sex) Born 2010: L-117 is the newest
calf born to Ino (L-54). Once Keta exposes his or her belly, we will be
able to determine its sex by the different shapes of black pigmentation
around the genital slits. Keta is well taken care of and entertained by
his or her two brothers, Indigo (L-100) and Coho (L-108).

LII8 JADE

L-118 Jade (Unknown Sex) Born 2011: Jade is the newest
calf of L-pod. We do not know if L-118 is male or female as we are
waiting for someone to catch a photo of his or her underside to
determine its sex. L-118 has a successful and loving mother named Nugget
(L-55). He or she also has two sisters named Kasatka (L-82) and Lapis
(L-109), and a big brother named Takoda (L-109). Jade is already an aunt
or uncle, as big sister Kasatka had her first calf Finn (L-116) in
2010. Finn (L-116), Keta (L-117), and Jade will likely develop a close
bond and be the best of friends in the future.

L120 - new calf. The details of which and the details of Lulu and Indigo missing can be seen here.

J POD

J2 GRANNY

J-2 Granny (Female) Born 1911: Granny is the oldest
known orca in the entire world. The average lifespan of female orca is
between 60 and 80 years, therefore Granny has surpassed this expectation
greatly, turning 102 this year. She is the matriarch leader of
J-pod, always guiding the groups movements and activities. Granny is a
wealth of knowledge for other family members, and she is active in
co-parenting by babysitting and teaching young orca in the family.
Granny has no living offspring, but she is the grandmother of Samish
(J-14), and a greatgrandmother to 3 other J-pod whales. She became a
great, great grandmother in the summer of 2012, when her great
granddaughter, Hy’Shqa (J-37) gave birth to her first calf J-49. Granny
has a solid saddlepatch and a half-moon nick out of the trailing edge of
her dorsal fin.

J8 - SPIEDEN

J-8 Spieden (Female) Born 1933: Spieden is the second
oldest female in J-pod. She has no living relatives, but has become a
sudo-mother to Onyx (L-87), a male killer whale from L-pod who fancies
traveling with J-pod the past few years. She has a quirky characteristic
that makes it easy to know that she is in the area. When Spieden
surfaces to breathe, she makes a wheezing-whistling sound from her
blowhole. The cause of this sound is not known and does not seem to
affect her health as she has made this sound since studies first began
on the population in the early 1970s.

J14 SAMISH

J-14 Samish (Female) Born 1974: Samish is the
granddaughter of Granny (J-2). Her mother and sister are now deceased.
She has had three surviving offspring Hy’Shqa (J-37), Suttles (J-40),
and Se Yi-Chn (J-45). She has lost 2 calves over her lifetime. Samish
also lost her 17 year old son, Riptide (J-30) during the winter of
2011-2012. Samish became a grandmother in the summer of 2012 when her
daughter Hy’Shqa had her first calf, J-49. Samish can be seen traveling
with all her offspring, often close to Granny (J-2) and Spieden (J-8).

J16 SLICK

J-16 Slick (Female) Born 1972: Slick is an excellent
mother who has had a total of 5 offspring. She gave birth to the newest
member of the Southern Residents, J-48, who was born on December 17th,
2011. Unfortunately her son Keet (J-33) did not return with J-pod in the
summer of 2011, he was 14 years of age. Her other children are
Mike(J-26), Alki (J-36), and Echo (J-42). Slick is an active and social
whale, usually swimming along with her growing family.

J17 PRINCESS ANGELINE

J-17 Princess Angeline (Female) Born 1977: Princess
Angeline is another J-pod mother whose own mother and sibling are both
deceased. She is not lonely however, as her own children and
grandchildren keep her busy! She is the mother of Polaris (J-28),
Tahlequah (J-35) and young Moby (J-44). Princess Angeline and her two
daughters all had offspring within one year of each other! So this busy
family can be seen swimming with 3 active and rambunctious young whales
who love to play together.

J19 SACHI

J-19 Shachi (Female) Born 1979: Sachi has one living
offspring, a daughter born in 2005 named Eclipse (J-41). She is also the
Auntie of Blackberry (J-27), Tsuchi (J-31) and Mako (J-39). Sachi has a
closed saddlepatch and no nicks in her dorsal fin.

J22 OREO

J-22 Oreo (Female) Born 1985: Oreo is the mother of two
boys, Double Stuf (J-34) and Cookie (J-38). These young males stay
close to their Mom, often being very playful as they breach and roll
around in the water. When Oreos sister Ewok died in 1998, she took over
the parental responsibility of her young niece Rhapsody, who was only 2
years old when her mother died.

J26 MIKE

J-26 Mike (Male) Born 1991: Mike is a special whale
because he was named after the late Michael Bigg, the first biologist
who discovered that orca can be individually identified by their unique
dorsal fin and saddlepatch. He is the son of Slick (J-16), and brother
to Alki (J-36), Echo (J-42), and J-48 who has not yet been named. Mike
is the same age as pod-mate Blackberry (J-27). The two now mature males
spent lots of time playing together as youngsters and can often still be
seen hanging out together. Mike can be identified by his open
saddlepatch on both sides of his back.

J27 BLACKBERRY

J-27 Blackberry (Male) Born 1991: Blackberry is one of
the most recognizable male orca in the Southern Resident community. He
has a tall dorsal fin with an open saddlepatch on one side that looks
like a black swirl in the white area, and an almost closed saddlepatch
on the other. Blackberry is a fantastic brother to his sister Tsuchi
(J-31) and his little brother Mako (J-39). The mother to these three
siblings was named Blossom, who died in 2008. Since Mako was only five
years old at the time, Blackberry and Tsuchi had to keep a close eye on
their brother. Blackberry is often seen with his siblings, herding Mako
in the right direction. Blackberry is also the same age as pod- mate
Mike, who he can be seen cruising with from time to time.

J28 POLARIS

J-28 Polaris (Female) Born 1993: Polaris is a stunning
female in J-pod. It is always fun to spot Polaris as she is a fairly new
Mom, having her first calf Star (J-46) in 2009. Polaris is easy to pick
out because she has a nick out of her dorsal fin, about half way down
the trailing edge. She is the oldest offspring of Princess Angeline
(J-17), and sister to Tahlequah (J-35) and Moby (J-44). This expanding
family is a treat to see as Polaris, her mom, and her sister all
had calves within one year. All calves have survived and play together
continuously.

J31 TSUCHI

J-31 Tsuchi (Female) Born 1994: Now that Tsuchi is 18
years of age, we can expect to see her have her first calf anytime now.
She has had a lot of practice parenting as she has been helping her
brother Blackberry (J-27)raise their younger brother Mako (J-39), since
their mother died in 2008. Tsuchi can be seen socializing with other
whales her age, but never far from her younger brother.

J32 RHAPSODY

J-32 Rhapsody (Female) Born 1996: Rhapsody is a mature
female who has not yet had her first calf. She lost her mother in 1998
and has no siblings. Because orca live in close extended families, she
was adopted by her Aunt Oreo (J-22), spending time with her cousins
Double Stuf (J-34) and Cookie (J-38). Rhapsody has an unique swirl at
the bottom of her saddlepatch.

J34 DOUBLE STUF

J-34 Double Stuf (Male) Born 1998: Double Stuf is a
teenage male who will soon start to sprout a tall dorsal fin as he
begins to mature into an adult. He is the first son of Oreo (J-22) and
brother to Cookie (J-38). Double Stuf is very close to his cousin
Rhapsody (J-32), as his family adopted her when her mother passed away.

J35 TAHLEQUAH

J-35 Tahlequah (Female) Born 1998: Tahlequah is a
first-time mother, giving birth to her son Notch (J-47) in 2010. She
gets to experience motherhood along side her sister Polaris (J-28) and
her mother Princess Angeline (J-17), as they all had a calf within one
year of each other. The waters are often filled with chatter when this
family passes by as three females and three young calves tend to make a
lot of noise!

J36 ALKI

J-36 Alki (Female) Born 1999: Alki is an active
teenager who belongs to a big family. Her mother is Slick (J-16) and her
siblings are Mike (J-26), Echo (J-42), and new sibling J-48, born in
December of 2011. Alki is often spotted foraging and socializing with
her tight-knit family group.

J37 HY'SHQA

J-37 Hy’Shqa (Female) Born 2001: Hy’Shqa was named by
the Samish First Nation. Her name means blessing or thank you in the
coast Salish/Samish language. Hy’Shqa is a member of the J-2 matriline,
with Granny (J-2) being her great grandmother and Samish (J-14) is her
mother. She also has two brothers, Riptide (J-30), who passed away
during the winter of 2011-2012, and Se-Yi-Chn (J-45). She has one
sister, Suttles (J-40). Hy’Shqa surprised us all in the summer of 2012,
when she was seen with her first calf at the age of eleven. Female
orca generally do not have their first calf until they are at least 14
years of age. The majority of females are usually between the ages of 17
and 20 before they enter motherhood. Hy’Shqa and only one other
resident orca in the Northern Community have been recorded with a calf
at such a young age. With the help of a large extended family, including
the experienced and knowledgable Granny, Hy’Shqa and her calf seem to
be doing well.

J38 COOKIE

J-38 Cookie (Male) Born 2003: Cookie may not be the
most masculine name for a male orca, but he is definitely a boy! He is
an active youngster who enjoys playing with his older brother Double
Stuf (J-34) and his cousin Rhapsody (J-32), who is like an adopted
sister, as she has been part of the family since before Cookie was born.
His mother is Oreo (J-22), who stays close to Cookie much of the time.

J39 MAKO

J-39 Mako (Male) Born 2003: Mako is an exciting
youngster to watch as he seems to like to play most of the time. He
loves to swim ahead of his older brother Blackberry (J-27) and his older
sister Tsuchi (J-31). Mako is often spotted breaching, tail slapping
and spy-hopping as he learns life skills from his siblings. Mako lost
his mother Blossom when he was only two years old, so he depends on his
siblings to teach and protect him. Despite his rough start in life, he
has become a very happy and healthy little whale!

J40 SUTTLES

J-40 Suttles (Female) Born 2004: Suttles is still a
juvenile whale who enjoys playing with her siblings alot. Like other
members of her family, Suttles was named by the Samish First Nation at a
traditional potlatch naming ceremony. Her mother is Samish (J-14),
who was named after the Samish First Nation. She is the younger sibling
of Riptide (J-30) and Hy’Shqa (J-37), and the older sister of little
Se-Yi-Chn (J-45). Her older brother Riptide (J-30) passed away in the
winter of 2011-2012. Suttles became a young Auntie in the summer of
2012 to J-49, the new calf of her sister Hy’Shqa (J-37).

J41 - ECLIPSE

J-41 Eclipse (Female) Born 2005: Eclipse is the second
offspring born to Shachi (J-19). Her only sibling died the same year it
was born. Eclipse was born on Canada Day, July 1st, 2005. Researchers
were skeptical about her survival as she was so small when she was born.
Thankfully she has grown into a healthy and spunky juvenile. Eclipse
stays close to her mother, but also enjoys playing with other whales
similar to her age.

J42 ECHO

J-42 Echo (Female) Born 2007: Echo is the second
youngest offspring born to Slick (J-16). She has two older siblings,
Mike (J-26) and Tahlequah (J-36). She became a big sister this past
December when her new sibling J-48 was born. Echo will be a great role
model and playmate for her new sibling with lots of babysitting in her
future!

J44 MOBY

J-44 Moby (Male) Born 2009: Moby is a playful little
whale, with two nieces who are the same age as himself! He is the third
calf of Princess Angeline (J-17) and the little brother of Polaris
(J-28) and Tahlequah (J-35). Young whales like Moby are very important
to the future of this Endangered population.

J45 SE-YI-CHN

J-45 Se-Yi-Chn (Male) Born 2009: Se-Yi-Chn is the sixth
offspring of Samish (J-14) and this is why he was given his name by the
Samish First Nation, meaning younger sibling. He had a brother named
Riptide (J-30), who passed away in the winter of 2011-2012. He has two
sisters, Hy’Shqa (J-37) and Suttles (J-40). He became a very young Uncle
to his new niece or nephew, J-49, born to his big sister Hy’Shqa
(J-37). He loves to spend time with his large family. Se-Yi-Chn was part
of a baby boom year, when 5 orca calves were born amongst the three
pods.

J46 STAR

J-46 Star (Female) Born 2009: Star is a lively and
lovable little whale who can be seen actively playing with her Uncle
Moby (J-44) and cousin Notch (J-47), who were all born between January
2009 and January 2010. Star is the first daughter born to Polaris
(J-28), who is a social butterfly, so Star gets to meet and play with
other members of the community too.

J47 NOTCH

J-47 Notch (Male) Born 2010: Notch got his name from
the notch or nick he got in his dorsal fin before his first birthday. He
is the first calf born to Tahlequah (J-35). He is often found causing
mischief with his cousin Star (J-46) and his Uncle Moby (J-44), who are
all close in age.

J 49 TILEM INGLES

J-49 Tilem Ingles (Unknown Sex) Born 2012: Little J-49 was
the latest addition to Jpod and the Southern Resident Community in the
summer of 2012. Until we can get a good view of this calf’s belly, we
will not know if J-49 is male or female. J-49’s entry into the world was
a major surprise to all who closely watch the Southern Residents. J-49
is the first calf born to Hy’Shqa (J-37), who was only 11 years old when
she gave birth to J-49. Only one other orca on British Columbia’s
coastline has been recorded having a calf at such a young age. Female
orca typically do not start to have offspring until they are at least 14
years old. It is more common to see first-time mothers between the ages
of 17 and 20. The birth of J-49 is also special because this little
calf makes Granny (J-2), a great, great grandmother!

K POD

K12 SEQUIM

K-12 Sequim (Female) Born 1972: Sequim is an
experienced mother with 3 living and 3 deceased offspring. Her living
offspring are Sekiu (K-22), Rainshadow (K-37), and Saturna (K-43). Since
Sequim has raised several calves she is a more relaxed mother, allowing
her older siblings to babysit young Saturna while she chases down
salmon. Sequim and Skagit (K-13) are now the eldest females in K-pod and
thus are the matriarch leaders of the group.

K13 SKAGIT

K-13 Skagit (Female) Born 1972: Skagit is the
successful and busy mother of 4 K-pod orca whales. She had her first
calf Spock (K-20) in 1986, and her last calf Cali (K-34) in 2001. She
also has a son named Scoter (K-25) and another daughter named Deadhead
(K-27). Now that Skagit is 40 years of age, it is unlikely that she will
have any more children as female orca go through menopause similar to
humans in their early to mid-forties. She will continue to be a vital
part of her offsprings lives, as well as an important senior member of
the pod. As Skagit and pod-mate Seqium (K-12) are the oldest females of
K-pod, they are the matriarch leaders, guiding all other members in
daily activities.

K14 LEA

K-14 Lea (Female) Born 1977: Lea has been a busy orca
raising three calves, Lobo (K-26), Yoda (K-36), and Kelp (K-42). Her
role as a mother has not come without hardship though, as Lea lost two
calves before they were one year old. She is a wonderful mother who
spends all of her time close to her offspring. Lea has a small nick out
of the trailing edge of her dorsal fin near the top.

K16 OPUS

K-16 Opus (Female) Born 1985: Opus can be recognized by
her large, solid saddlepatch. She is often seen swimming side-by-side
with her son Sonata (K-35), who was born in 2002. Besides her son, the
only immediate living relative she has is her sister Lea (K-14). These
sisters and their offspring are close, spending a lot of time
socializing, hunting and resting together. Opus lost her first calf soon
after it was born in the winter of 2000-2001.

K20 SPOCK

K-20 Spock (Female) Born 1986: Spock is the mother of
Comet (K-38), a spunky little male orca. Because it has been 8 years
since Comet was born, we hope to see Spock with another calf soon as
orca have one calf every 4 to 8 years on average. Spock was the first
offspring of Skagit (K-13), and she is a sister to Scoter (K-25), Cali
(K-34), and Deadhead (K-27). She became an auntie for the first time in
2011 to K-44, an unnamed male calf.

K21 CAPPUCCINO

K-21 Cappuccino (Male) Born 1986: Cappuccino is a very
special member of Kpod, as he was the first mature male in the pod in
many, many years. His best friend was his sister Raggedy (K-40), who was
not often seen without Cappucino close by. Sadly, his dear sister
passed away during the winter of 2011-2012. The two siblings no longer
have a mother or any other living brothers or sisters. Cappuccino is
very easy to identify as he was a wide-based dorsal fin and a distinct
open saddlepatch. He will need
to gravitate towards other members of his pod to find companionship
like he had with Raggedy.

K22 SEKIU

K-22 Sekiu (Female) Born 1987: Sekiu is the last K-pod
whale to be born in the 1980s. She has an only son named Tika (K-33),
who was born in 2001. Sekiu and Tika spend most of their time close to
Sekius mother Sequim (K-12), and her other offspring Rainshadow (K-37)
and Saturna (K-43). Sekiu has a thin whisp of black running through her
saddlepatch.

K25 SCOTER

K-25 Scoter (Male) Born 1991: Scoter is one of two
males born to Skagit (K-13). He also has two sisters, Spock (K-20) and
Deadhead (K-27). Scoter like all other resident orca will remain close
to his mother and siblings for his entire life, but as he reaches
maturity, he has been spending more time socializing with whales in his
age group.

K26 LOBO

K-26 Lobo (Male) Born 1993: Lobo has recently become
another adult male of K-pod. He is easy to pick out amongst the other
males as his dorsal fin is very narrow compared to others. He also has a
very bright white saddlepatch. Lobo was the first calf of Lea (K-14) to
survive past infancy. He is the protective big brother of sisters Yoda
(K-36) and Kelp (K-42). Lobo has become more independent as he has
matured and can be seen socializing with Cappuccino and other whales his
age.

K27 DEADHEAD WITH BABY K44

K-27 Deadhead (Female) Born 1994: Deadhead gets her
strange name from the band, The Greatful Dead, as she was bon the same
year lead singer Jerry Garcia died. Deadhead had her first calf, K-44,
who will be named in the summer of 2012 after surviving his first
winter. Deadhead is part of a big family, her mother is Skagit (K-13)
and her siblings are Scoter (K-25), Spock (K-20), and Cali (K-34).

K33 TIKA

K-33 Tika (Male) Born 2001: Tika is a young whale who
spends much of his time with his mother Sekiu (K-22) and his grandmother
Sequim (K-12). Even though Tika does not have any siblings, he loves to
play with his Uncle Rainshadow (K-37), who is actually 2 years younger
than Tika!

K34 CALI

K-34 Cali (Male) Born 2001: Calis name comes from the
Salish First Nation language, meaning heart. He is the youngest
offspring of Skagit (K-13), and the brother of Spock (K-20), Scoter
(K-25), and Deadhead (K-27). Cali has an open saddlepatch similar in
looks to his sister Spocks saddlepatch.

K35 SONATA

K-35 Sonata (Male) Born 2002: Sonata is an only child,
staying close to his mother Opus (K-16). Because orca are highly social
animals, Sonata and his mom are often seen hanging around other
matrilines within K-pod. Like his mom, Sonata has a solid saddlepatch,
but his is more gray while hers is bright white.

K36 YODA

K-36 Yoda (Female) Born 2003: Yoda is part of a medium
sized family and her mother is Lea (K-14). Her two siblings are Lobo
(K-26) and Kelp (K-42). Yoda is one of the more social youngsters, often
seen playing with other pod-mates her age. Orca often build strong
bonds with other whales besides their immediate family, especially
whales from the same age group.

K37 RAINSHADOW

K-37 Rainshadow (Male) Born 2003: Rainshadow is a
fantastic whale with a sweet personality. He is the son of Sequim
(K-12), and he has one older sister, Sekiu (K-22) and one younger
sister, Saturna (K-43). Rainshadow is very attached to his little
sister, always paying attention to where she is and spending quality
time with her. He has a very light S-shape within his saddlepatch.

K38 COMET

K-38 Comet (Male) Born 2004: Comet is the first and
only offspring to mother Spock (K-20). Comet enjoys playing with his
Uncles Scoter (K-25) and Cali (K-34), and his auntie, Deadhead (K-27).
Comet will likely be a great role model for his new cousin K-44, who was
recently born in December 2011.

K42 KELP

K-42 Kelp (Male) Born 2008: Kelp is a very active and
social little whale. He was born in a time frame when lots of other
calves were also born, giving him many playmates within the population.
Kelp is the son of Lea (K-14), and he has two siblings Lobo (K-26) and
Yoda (K-36).

K43 SATURNA

K-43 Saturna (Female) Born 2010: Saturna is the sixth
offspring of Sequim (K-12), but only 2 off her siblings are still alive.
She is very close to her brother Rainshadow (K-37), who is a protective
big brother. Sequim trusts Rainshadow to play with Saturna while she
chases salmon for the family to eat. Saturnas older sister Sekiu (K-22)
is also a great babysitter, entertaining Saturna with her son Tika
(K-33). Saturnas nephew is actually 9 years older than her!

K44 RIPPLE

K-44 Ripple (Male) Born 2011: Because K-44 was only
born in 2011, he will not be given a common name until he has survived
his first winter. He is the first offspring of Deadhead (K-27), who has
so far been an attentive mother. K-44 has lots of support from his
grandmother Skagit (K-13), his Uncles Scoter (K-25) and Cali (K-34), and
his Auntie Spock (K-20). K-44 will love to play with his cousin Comet
(K-38), as they grow up side-by-side

Since 1998, 56 orcas have gone missing or have died

It is very rare for an orca to wash ashore mortality is judged from the orca being missing and not returning or being spotted elsewhere